The Outlaw Josey Wales
...an army of one.
1976 • 135 min • Western
Synopsis
After avenging his family's brutal murder, Wales is pursued by a pack of soldiers. He prefers to travel alone, but ragtag outcasts are drawn to him - and Wales can't bring himself to leave them unprotected.
Our family guide
Best from age 14- 100 Reviewers · 4 · 60%
- 75 Audience · 1320 · 40%
After his family is murdered, Josey Wales seeks revenge, becoming an outlaw pursued by soldiers. Though he prefers solitude, he gathers a diverse group of outcasts he feels compelled to protect. This classic Western explores themes of survival, found family, and the lingering scars of war.
- Violence & peril
- 7/10
- Language
- 3/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 4/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 1/10
- Scary moments
- 4/10
Heads up
- Frequent gun violence and shootouts
- Some thematic elements of loss and revenge
- Brief instances of alcohol consumption
What it models well
- Loyalty and protection of others
- Building new family bonds
- Resilience in hardship
- Forgiveness and moving past vengeance
Talk about it after
- The true cost of revenge and cycles of violence
- How different people cope with loss and trauma
- The complexities of justice during wartime
- Understanding the historical context of the American West
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Outlaw Josey Wales. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
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Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
Fandango At HomeBuy
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- Fandango At Home
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Top billed cast
Director: Clint Eastwood • Crew: Philip Kaufman, Sonia Chernus
Trailers & clips
Reviewer notes
RecommendedBelieve it or not, this is a western film starring a Clint Eastwood who actually has some dialogue! He’s the eponymous farmer who has so far avoided the worst of the American Civil War only for his family to be brutally slaughtered by some marauding Yankees.…
RecommendedA little overlong, though <em>'The Outlaw Josey Wales'</em> is an entertaining watch - with cool action sequences and a pleasing ending. You have a strong performance from Clint Eastwood and good support showings from the likes of Chief Dan George and John Vernon. The plot is interesting and the road-esque nature of it keeps it moving well.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewers**_One of the Great Westerns_** The Civil War is over and the remaining rebels in Missouri are encouraged to turn over their weapons and pledge loyalty to the Union, but Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) hold out and thus a generous reward is put on his head. Josey heads to West Texas and maybe Mexico to find sanctuary, but will he make it alive?…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersI guess we all died a little in that damned war. The Outlaw Josey Wales is directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars as Wales, and is adapted by Sonia Chernus & Phil Kaufman from the novel "The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales" written by Forrest Carter. Joining Eastwood in the cast are Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon & Paula Trueman.…
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Gallery
Details
- TMDB audience
- 7.5/10 (1,320)
- Age rating
- PG
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $3,700,000
- Box office
- $31,800,000
- Franchise
- Josey Wales Collection
- IMDb
- tt0075029
